Kutná Hora

Silver was discovered here in the 12th century, and for some 400 years the mines were worked with consummate efficiency. A highlight to visiting Kutná Hora is the chance to tour some of the old mine shafts and see how the silver was minted into the famed Prague groschen, one of the most widely circulated coins at the time. Much of the wealth was siphoned off to build the illustrious structures of Prague, but enough stayed in Kutná Hora to finance the construction of several imposing buildings, including what many regard as the country's most impressive Gothic cathedral outside the capital. As the silver began to run out in the 16th and 17th centuries, Kutná Hora's importance faded. Since the early 1990s the town has beautified itself to a degree, but modern Kutná Hora feels dwarfed by the splendors of the Middle Ages. When you arrive in Kutná Hora, head to the central square, Palackého námestí, to get oriented. If you come into the town by bus, look for the spires and head downhill and to the left. If you come by train and get off at the Kutná Hora Mesto station, look at the map posted in the station and thread your way uphill and roughly to the right, through the crumbling streets until you reach Palackého námestí. The tourist office is here; it's small, but well organized, with a few Internet stations that you can use to check e-mail.